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Sunday, 24 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 05-09-01Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HeadlinesA Greek committee investigating the causes of the 14th of August Helios Airways crash, is continuing its work for a third day, under its president Akrivos Tsolakis,Survivors were evacuating the shattered city of New Orleans as authorities confronted growing lawlessness and desperation days after Hurricane Katrina blasted the U.S. Gulf Coast, AND A powerful typhoon was heading for Japan's Okinawa islands today and experts said it could be upgraded by the weekend to a Class Five storm -- technically the same strength as Katrina. [02] Tsolakis inveA Greek committee investigating the causes of the 14th of August Helios Airways crash, is continuing its work for a third day, under its president Akrivos Tsolakis. At noon, Mr Tsolakis met with the widow and the son of Cypriot co-pilot Pambos Charalambous. The committee will take testimonies from Helios Airways pilots and mechanics. Mr Tsolakis said that the committee has extended its stay until Sunday, so that it can complete its work.[03] House tragedyThe house of representatives will request from the president of the republic the appointment of an independent investigative committee on the 14th of August tragedy. The decision was reached unanimously during a meeting of leaders or representatives of parliamentary parties, under house president Dimitris Christofias. Mr Christofias will send an official letter to President Papadopoulos requesting the appointment of the commitee. The house president said that the content of the letter will be publicized, after the president has received it.[04] House partiesThe house president expressed satisfaction over the fact that the parties were unanimous in their decision. Dimitris Christofias rejected reports that AKEL disagreed with sending a letter to the president of the republic requesting the appointment of an independent investigative committee. Opposition DISY leader Nikos Anastasiades also expressed satisfaction that his party's request for an independent committee was accepted by the other parties. DISY, he added, will not allow the politicization of the tragedy. DIKO vice-president Nikos Pittokopitis said that the speeding up of procedures for the appointment of an independent committee has become necessary, but the time of its appointment will be decided by the President of the republic. EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou said that the investigation should also look into the business practices of Helios airways.[05] Weather KatrinaSurvivors were evacuating the shattered city of New Orleans as authorities confronted growing lawlessness and desperation days after Hurricane Katrina blasted the U.S. Gulf Coast.Hundreds are believed dead in Louisiana and Mississippi after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on Monday with 225 kph winds and a 9-metre storm surge that trapped many in their homes. Mayor Ray Nagin declared a state of martial law in New Orleans and ordered police to drop their search-and-rescue operations to concentrate on stopping widespread looting and violence. Gunshots repeatedly rang out and fires flared around the city as looters broke into stores, houses, hospitals and office buildings -- some in search of food, others looking for anything of value. They broke windows, tore down security gates and knocked down doors, then hauled away what they could carry or cart. A convoy of some 300 buses began shuttling more than 20 thousand people holed up in miserable conditions in the Superdome football stadium to Houston's Astrodome 560 km away. It would be 12 to 16 weeks before residents could return to the city. [06] Japan TyphoonA powerful typhoon was heading for Japan's Okinawa islands today and experts said it could be upgraded by the weekend to a Class Five storm -- technically the same strength as Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans.Typhoon Nabi -- Korean for "butterfly" -- could strengthen to super-typhoon status by Saturday morning local time, Tropical Storm Risk group at University College London said. But an official at Japan's Meteorological Agency said it was unlikely Nabi would have anything like Katrina's destructive power. As of this morning, Nabi had winds of up to 162 km an hour near its centre and was located near the Marianas Islands, moving north-northwest at 20 km an hour. Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast with winds of 225 km per hour. Should the storm stay on its present course it would pass over Okinawa on Sunday or Monday. Several of Okinawa's outlying islands were brushed by Typhoon Talim yesterday as the storm made its way to Taiwan, where at least one person died and 24 were injured. About 170 people were killed or went missing in the 2004 storms, which caused billions of dollars worth of damage. [07] Russia BeslanThe sound of wailing cut through the air at Beslan's School No.1 this morning as bereaved relatives marked the first anniversary of the start of a hostage siege that ended two days later in the deaths of 331 people.But grief was mixed with anger as some people screamed "murderess!" at the school's headmistress, a target for the claims of many bereaved relatives that bungling by officials at all levels made the death toll worse. Officials feared the militants who seized the school demanding independence for Chechnya would try to mark the anniversary with another attack and there were metal detectors at the ruined school's entrance and a heavy police presence. In the rest of Russia children were arriving for the Sept. 1 start of the academic year -- the date had been pushed back in Beslan -- watched by police patrols and, once inside, observed a minute's silence for the Beslan victims. [08] WeatherThere will be generally fine conditions this afternoon. Winds will be light westerly to southwesterly, force three, turning moderate force four to strong force five in windward southern coastal areas, over slight seas. Temperatures will reach 36 degrees inland, 32 on the southern and eastern coastal areas, 30 on the western coastal areas and 26 over the mountains. Winds will start out moderate southwesterly to northwesterly, force three to four, later turning light force three, over slight seas. Temperatures will drop to 21 degrees inland and in coastal areas and 16 over the mountains. The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |